Cars today are packed with modern technology, but the features we take for granted were once brand new. Volvo was the first car company to integrate modern three-point seat belts, Mercedes-Benz was the first to offer a vehicle with electronic stability control, and Packard was the first to offer a car with air conditioning. But what about comfort such as seat heating?
It turns out that heated seats are not a recent invention. In fact, they debuted in the first production cars 60 years ago. If you were looking for a new Cadillac in 1966, you could choose a car that had exactly the features you wanted, and one of those features was the addition of heated seats on every new model that year. It was optional, which isn’t too surprising considering the AM/FM radio wasn’t standard on new Cadillacs at the time either.
The seat heaters provide electric heating for the cushions and the backrest of the seat. There were four heating elements beneath the seat surface, much as heated seats are designed today, to provide heat before the car’s heater warms up enough to warm the cabin on its own. It was controlled by a nearby switch and would automatically shut off if the cabin heater could provide enough heat. In other words, you wouldn’t use your heated seats as a heating pad on longer drives.
Luxury ahead of its time
We couldn’t find prices for heated seats in 1966, but it’s worth pointing out that some Cadillacs can be quite expensive. Makes you wonder how many people jumped for the option that year. Either way, it’s not surprising that GM introduced heated seats so early. It can get pretty frigid in Detroit, and keeping your butt nice and warm is a good way to beat the bone-chilling cold. As GM’s flagship brand, Cadillac was the natural choice for the new technology, and it is the brand that continues to feature GM’s latest technology to this day.
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